This statement by Trump has sparked major controversy.
In a recent interview on Fox News’s “Life, Liberty and Levin,” former President Donald Trump defended his actions related to the 2020 election and reiterated his stance that the ongoing legal challenges against him are driven by political bias. Trump, who is the GOP’s presidential candidate for the upcoming election, argued that he had every right to engage in efforts to contest the election results, and he criticized the legal proceedings against him as being politically motivated.
Trump pointed out the irony that his poll numbers have reportedly increased despite facing indictments. “It’s truly astonishing,” Trump remarked. “In most cases, when someone is indicted, their numbers drop. But here I am, facing charges for what they claim is interference in a presidential election, and yet my support seems to grow. It’s a real twist.”
He was responding to Fox News host Mark Levin’s question about whether President Biden or Vice President Harris could have influenced the Attorney General to drop the federal election interference case. Trump’s remarks came as he faces federal charges in Washington, D.C., related to allegations of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results. Additionally, he faces separate state charges in Georgia, including racketeering, for a purported scheme to alter the state’s election outcomes.
“This is unprecedented and a terrible precedent,” Trump argued. “We’re seeing tactics here that are usually reserved for Third World countries, not the United States. It’s disheartening to see this kind of legal assault being used against a political opponent.”
Trump also criticized Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, alleging that her actions in the Georgia case were part of a “crazy scheme” that harmed many people. He accused the Department of Justice and local officials of being driven by political motives rather than justice.
These comments follow a recent development where Special Counsel Jack Smith filed an updated indictment in the federal election case, a move that came after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on presidential immunity. The Court ruled that presidents have absolute immunity for actions within their official duties and are “presumptively immune” from prosecution for other official acts. This decision sent the case back to a lower court to evaluate whether Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021, are protected by this immunity. Despite this, a second grand jury has upheld the charges against Trump, leading him to continue asserting that the case is a politically motivated attack.